'Citizen' Soeharto questioned
JAKARTA (JP): Citizen Soeharto was grilled for more than three hours by three government prosecutors amid heavy security here on Wednesday over allegations of corruption connected to him during his 32 years in power.
The former president left his Cendana residence in Central Jakarta in a Mercedes Jeep escorted by a convoy of luxury vehicles for the questioning at the Jakarta high prosecutor's office on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in Kuningan, South Jakarta. Here, his investigators addressed him as Saudara (an honorific term for addressing an equal).
Some avenues, including Jl. HR Rasuna Said where the high prosecutor's office is located, and Jl. Casablanca as well as the Mampang intersection in South Jakarta, were closed off during the session. This created heavy congestion that lasted for hours.
Students and residents alike were stranded because public transport was barred from some avenues. They had to walk or race for free rides on military trucks.
Meanwhile, spectators gathered expectantly outside the Attorney General's Office in the Blok M area in South Jakarta where the questioning had been previously scheduled to take place. The last minute change of venue, believed to be designed to foil protests, had also caused confusion on the part of many journalists.
However, while hundreds of soldiers and police guarded the sprawling attorney general's office, only about 100 men, mostly police and military police were at the chief prosecutor's office.
The heavy security was believed to be in anticipation of mass student demonstrations demanding Soeharto's trial. In the past few days these rallies have targeted the attorney general's office, Soeharto's residence and Merdeka Palace.
Immediately after the session, Soeharto briefed journalists for several minutes.
"I have answered the summons of the attorney general to provide the necessary information," he said.
"If there is a need for further questioning, I have said that I will always be prepared to meet any requirements of the attorney general," he said.
Dressed in a traditional black cap and brown batik shirt, the 77-year-old veteran ruler declined to give further comment, saying it would be inappropriate as he was still under investigation.
"This was all in the framework of preliminary investigation," spokesman for the attorney general's office, Barman Zahir, told reporters afterwards. He did not say whether further questioning would be sought.
Three deputy attorney generals -- Antonius Sujata from the special crimes unit, Ramelan from general crimes and Syamsu Djalaludin for intelligence affairs -- questioned Soeharto.
Barman said 43 questions were asked concerning Soeharto's charity foundations, the national car program, his bank deposits, lands and other assets.
Soeharto, who arrived for questioning at 7:20 a.m. was accompanied by seven lawyers. They were Syamsul Hadi, Victor Siregar, O.C. Kaligis, Juan Felix Tampubolon, Deny Kailimang, Indriyanto Senoaji and M. Assegaf.
Barman said later that another lawyer of Soeharto's, Aibrah Said, did not appear as he was still attending an ongoing court session.
Barman also confirmed that Syamsu early Wednesday had decided to move the venue. Barman said the special treatment was "for the sake of the security of us all."
Soeharto has already met twice with officials from the attorney general's office since he stepped down under pressure in May, but Wednesday's was his first summons.
In September, Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib went to his residence to seek information on his bank accounts, and Soeharto returned the visit a few days later to submit draft letters granting permission to open any bank accounts bearing his name both here and overseas.
Bob Hasan
Meanwhile, at the attorney general's office, Soeharto's key business associate and former trade and industry minister, Mohamad "Bob" Hasan, underwent separate questioning.
Hasan told the prosecutors the Dharmais Foundation, one of the seven foundations chaired by Soeharto, has since 1995 lent his holding company, the Nusamba Group, Rp 750 billion (US$100.3 million) to finance several "people-benefiting" projects.
He was quoted by Barman as saying the use of the money was upon the approval of Soeharto.
"The money was used to complete the construction of Samarinda- based pulp and paper factory PT Kiani Lestari and for equity participation in 20 Secondary Banks (BPR) in West, Central and East Java and Bali," Hasan said.
The investigation on Hasan was led by Lukman Bahmid, an Inspector at the Attorney General's Office.
Hasan said the money was also used for equity participation in a tea factory in West Java.
"The tea factory has been helpful in increasing the income of the tea plantation workers," he said, citing the fact that workers used to be paid Rp 50 per kilogram.
"Now, they are paid Rp 600 to Rp 700 per kilogram," he claimed.
Hasan also told the prosecutors about the capital structure of the Tugu Insurance, which is 35 percent owned by Nusamba, 40 percent by state-owned Pertamina oil company, and the remaining 25 percent by the Pertamina Pension Fund.
Asked whether the loan to the Nusamba Group has indicated any corrupt, collusive and nepotistic practices, Barman said the prosecutors were still evaluating the investigation's preliminary findings.
"Bob Hasan was summoned to give testimony over the ongoing investigation," Barman said, but failed to elaborate on the legal status of Hasan.
Barman, however, said that the attorney general's office may resummon Bob for another round of questioning. (byg/edt/imn)